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Fashion industry is being reshaped by technology: Insights into the growing mesh of fabric and apps

The fashion industry has undergone a rapid change in the recent years with companies evolving their business models to meet the digital world. The advancement in technology could be one of the primary reasons for this transformation.

Fashion apps have redefined the way brands communicate and connect with customers. This compelled fashion companies to rethink the format and rethink how they sell products. Mobile is the only device consumers are always connected with. It is an ideal platform that bridges the gap between retailers and consumers.

The rise of mobile apps has caused popular fashion brands to migrate from brick and motor to online. In the fashion industry, the look and feel of the product is paramount. Hence, there is no surprise why the fashion world is thriving online more than any other field.

According to Forbes, mobile apps have revolutionized the fashion industry and driven up sales by combining content, commerce, and community. Fashion apps allow consumers to discover content, get recommendations and real-time feedback from the fashion community.

According to a recent report by Fortune Magazine, Polyvore is one of the largest online fashion communities with more than 20 million visitors a month. It was recently acquired by Yahoo! Inc. for 230 million USD.

Recently, Burberry – the British Luxury Brand revealed its plan to sell its products through online and offline stores as soon as its runway show ends. Many reputed brands like Tommy Hilfiger and Tom Ford followed the suit – which was treated a major step in the fashion industry.

What all you need to know about fashion app categories?

With millions of visitors every month, reputed fashion brands provide a test of new products or ideas online without the cost involved in the physical production. The fashion industry tapped into the power of mobile apps in three categories, which are as below –

Personal Shopping

Personal shopping apps are a great example of how bricks-and-motor companies can intersect with mobile and create a win-win situation for consumers and brands. These apps allow consumers to communicate directly with retailers and personal shoppers in the store. As these apps are focused and targeted to the specific audience, they users know what they want.

The personal shopper apps include tools such as – price comparison, coupons, discounts, shopping history etc that make it easier to get the best deal. Some of the popular personal shopping apps include – Mona, Mezi, etc. These apps are similar to traditional mCommerce apps that capture the most recent information to learn about customer preferences.

Discovery

These category apps allow users to browse through a variety of products such as – clothes, shoes, accessories from a wide range of retailers. As these apps are community driven, they provide endless inspiration for regular consumers and fashionistas. Shoppers are provided a cool platform to discover unique products they didn’t even know about.

Some of the popular apps in this category are – The Hunt, ShopStyle, and Hook etc. The Hook app generated a lot of excitement among consumers, as it uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to power a fashion search engine. This app features a real-time trending feel that allows users to keep up-to-date with the latest products in runway and celebrity styles.

Fashion Aggregator

These category apps allow users to buy products from multiple brands in a single click without leaving the comfort of their home. This is a single shopping app for the entire internet that allows users to shop for products across multiple retailers on their smartphones. The fashion aggregator scrapes data from multiple sources in real-time and caches the data locally on their server. When the user searches a fashion item using this category app, the most recently cached data will feed the results.

Some of the popular apps in this category are – HeartThis, Lyst etc. These apps crawl multiple retail sites and show their products within the app. Fashion apps that aggregate fashion products through affiliate links have been in use for quite some time by many startup companies. The fashion aggregator apps solve the problem of “I have nothing in my wardrobe” by featuring endless style inspirations. These apps often use affiliate business models for revenue.

How is the fashion industry reshaped by mobile apps?

The fashion world is at its strongest with the mobile apps and social media being the main tools. According to the data provided by GlobalWebIndex, more than 50% of users in the age group 16-24 years make a purchase via smartphone. The future of fashion apps will be dynamic with more personalized options that before.

More and more brands are focusing on revamping their mobile experience with fashion apps that make browsing, shopping and payments much easier. It is important to remember that mobile app users crave speed, service and social engagement. Mobile apps make it easier for users to reach their favorite brands. Here is how mobile apps are reshaping the fashion industry.

a.) By encouraging customer loyalty

Mobile apps encourage customers to return to your business again and again because they feel more connected to your brand. The personalized service provided by mobile apps help customers feel connected throughout the day.

b.) By providing accurate sizing

When it comes to apparel shopping, the biggest concern is the size of the outfit. Mobile apps have influenced the fashion industry by providing accurate size to make sure that the customers are satisfied every time they place an order.

c.) By reaching the niche market

Fashion apps have made it easier for consumers to buy clothing as per their convenience. Many designer goods are discarded in good condition to be considered new. Consumers who are concerned about this trend can browse inventory by date and save a lot in this process.

d.) By providing well-planned wardrobe

A mobile app is a perfect tool to help users plan their wardrobe. A fashion-savvy person might have an app that allows buying a large portion of wardrobe from just one brand at a huge discount. Fashion apps are ideal for busy people who don’t have much time to browse through different categories.

Conclusion

As mobile apps continue to change the way consumers buy products, companies need to re-think on new ways to promote their products. The fashion industry is hugely visual compared to other fields. According to recent data released by Google, the mobile app is the future of retail with more than 64% smartphone shoppers turning to mobile before heading out to shop.

At Promatics technologies, we strive for seamless app experience – meeting the expectations of our fashion savvy customers. We ensure personalized mobile experience, which is a priority in the fashion world.

Interested in getting in touch with us for fashion app development? Contact us today!

Rahul has been associated with the apps industry for more than 7 years now. He has seen the apps economy grow from its nascent days to a full fledged industry with its complete ecosystem as of today. His interest lies in pursuing and getting to know the best app development technologies, processes and platforms. He is truly an app enthusiast. In his free time he loves playing console games and reading history.

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Promatics is an ISO 9001:2008 certified offshore web and mobile application development company with a strong team of 100+ highly skilled IT experts delighting SMEs across USA, Europe and APAC. Our services and solutions help clients to achieve tangible business value and remain competitive in today’s evolving marketplaces.